may take notice thereof labour to attaine to the knowledge and assurance of it being a truth so important and comfortable Secondly if we doe not know that the Spirit dwelleth in vs we cannot know that we haue any part in Christ and consequently that we are true Christians seeing the holy Spirit is the principall bond of the vnion betweene him and vs by which he dwelleth in vs and wee in him Thirdly if we doe not know that the Spirit dwelleth in vs we cannot know that wee are iustified for wee haue nothing to doe with Christs righteousnesse in which we stand righteous before God till by our spirituall vnion he is made ours whereby we haue right and interest in all his benefits wee cannot know that wee are adopted the children of God vnlesse we know that wee haue the spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry in our hearts Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. Nor that we are sanctified vnlesse wee haue the sanctifying spirit which is the beginner and perfecter of all our holinesse nor that our prayers are heard of God seeing of our selues we know not how to pray as we ought but it is the spirit of supplication which helpeth our infirmities and teacheth vs to pray with sighes and grones which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8. 26. Iam. 4. 3. Neither doth the Lord heare any prayers but such as the Spirit inspireth because such only are according to his will And when without his helpe wee pray Wee aske and receiue not because wee aske amisse as the Apostle speaketh Fourthly vnlesse we know that wee haue the Spirit wee Ioh. 2. 20. 27. Ioh. 14. 26. cannot know whether we are in errour or truth or whether our Religion which we professe bee true or false because he is the spirit of illumination who onely inlighteneth vs and teacheth and leadeth vs in all truth Now how shall he shew vs other things so as we may know that hee sheweth them if he doe not shew vs himselfe and make it knowne vnto vs that he dwelleth in vs and teacheth vs Fiftly if we be not assured that he is in vs wee can haue no sound comfort because hee is the onely true comforter from whom all sound comfort springeth and all other comforts of which he is not the author are false vngrounded and meere delusions Lastly wee must labour after the knowledge 2 Cor. 13. 5. of the fruits of the spirit dwelling in vs as that wee haue faith and that Christ dwelleth in vs and therefore we must also be assured that we haue the tree and roote for the effect argueth his cause as well as the cause his effect and not to know that wee haue the spirit is not to know that we haue any grace § Sect. 2. The first infallible signe is the ministery and meanes by which it hath bene wrought in vs. Now we may know whether the spirit of God be in vs or no First by the ministerie and meanes which it vieth to make entrance and to take possession of vs the which is the ministerie of the Word of God For when the flesh with the lusts thereof are somewhat amazed and affrighted with the canon shot of legall threatnings making as it were a large breach into the heart and conscience and the trumpet of the Gospell soundeth offering remission of sin and eternall saluation to all that beleeue and repent then this victorious captaine maketh his entrance assaulteth the flesh and driueth it into corners taking possession of all for Gods vse the great Monarch of heauen and earth And this the Apostle sheweth where he saith that the Galathians Gal. 3. 2. receiued the spirit not by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith that is the doctrin of faith contained in the Gospel of Iesus Christ Whereof it is that the Ministers of the New Testament are by him called the ministers of the 2 Cor. 3. 6. spirit because by their preaching they prepare the way for the spirit as Iohn the Baptist for Iesus Christ and are as it were his harbingers to take vp a lodging for him in our hearts and soules So that wee may discerne the spirit by the meanes whereby it entreth which is not by dreames and extraordinarie reuelations for this is the fanaticall spirit of Anabaptists and Familists nor by the preaching of the law onely For he commeth not in this great strong 1 King 19. 11. 12. winde that rents the Mountaines and breakes in pieces the Rockes nor in this earthquake which shaketh the foundations of mans heart nor in this fire which consumeth all sinners that come in the way of it But when these haue gone before like a peale of Canons that giue warning of the comming of this mighty Prince then the still voice of the Gospell is vttered by the Ambassadours and Heralds of the great King and with it hee entreth and scateth himselfe in our hearts as it were vpon his royall throne § Sect. 3 The second signe is the effects and fruits of the spirit 1 by the nature of the gifts in vs we may discerne the spirit Secondly we may know whether the spirit dwelleth in vs and fighteth against the flesh by the effects and fruits of it And first generally by the nature of the things wrought in vs and then by their constancie and continuance For if the gifts and endowments which we haue be but meerely naturall or such as may be attained vnto by our owne art industrie and indeauours then are they no infallible notes of Gods sanctifying spirit or sauing graces dwelling in vs the which are supernaturall diuine and sent downe as it were from heauen into vs. Whereof it is that the Apostle opposeth this spirit of God and that which is in worldly men the one against the other Wee haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God And a little after the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 12. 14 of God Againe if they be but the common gifts of the Spirit as meerely Morall vertues and restraining graces which are common to ciuill worldlings and haue beene also in many Heathens and honest infidels then cannot we by them gather any assurance that the sanctifying spirit dwelleth and warreth in vs against the flesh onely there is a fight betweene conscience and affections vice is curbed and ouer-ruled by vice and one corrupt facultie by an other of the same kinde §. Sect. 4. The graces of the spirit may be knowne by their constant continuall actions and operations Secondly the spirit and the sauing graces thereof are constant and continuall in their actions and operations dayly more and more mortifying and subduing the flesh and carnall corruptions and inciting vs vnto all Christian and holy duties like the sunne which from the rising shineth still more gloriously vntill noone day or a liuely fountaine which continually springeth and sendeth forth
true iustifying faith maketh vs to reioyce when as wee thinke of the appearing of our Sauiour Christ vnto iudgement and euen to long for this time as being the day of our full redemption when both in body and soule wee shall be freed from all sinne and misery and enioy all glory and endlesse happinesse according to that of our Sauiour When these things beginne to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nigh And so the Apostle saith that we which haue receiued the first fruites Luk. 21. 28. Rom. 8. 23. of the spirit euen we our selues groane within our selues waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body The which ioy in thinking on this day and mourning because it is deferred commeth through our assurance of faith and confidence of hope For therefore doe we desire to leaue 2 Cor. 5. 1. 7. Gal. 5. 5. this world and to be dissolued because we knowe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building of God a house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens and because through the spirit wee waite for the hope of righteousnesse by faith But no such ioy or longing accompanieth the faith of temporaries because they haue no such assurance of this happinesse and are besides so besotted with the loue of worldly things that they cannot without terrour and amazement thinke of that day which when it commeth will wholly depriue them of all their earthly ioy § Sect. 19. The 3 effect is the spirit of adoption A third effect of the spirit dwelling in vs is to perswade and assure vs that we are the children of God and to entitle vs as heyres to our heauenly inheritance the which is a priuiledge and prerogatiue that belongeth to all the faithfull and to them alone according to that of the Euangelist But as many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to Ioh. 1. 12. become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name And this is an vndoubted fruit of the spirit as the apostle witnesseth For yee haue not saith hee receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee haue receiued the spirit Rom. 8. 15. 16. Gal. 4. 6. of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse to our spirit that wee are the children of God and if children then heyres heyres of God and ioynt heyres with Christ And againe Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father In which regard the spirit of God dwelling in vs 2 Cor. 5. 5. is called the spirit of adoption which doeth not giue vnto vs a doubtfull testimony of this inestimable priuiledge but certainely assureth vs that it doeth belong vnto vs. In which regard it is called an earnest which God therefore Eph. 1. 14. giueth vs to put vs out of all doubt that he wil make good this heauenly bargaine which hee hath promised vnto vs. Which is saith the Apostle the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession And in the same respect it is called a seale which by the powerfull impression that it imprinteth in vs assureth vs that God will make good vnto vs the promise of grace and saluation in Iesus Christ So the Apostle saith In whom also after ye beleeued yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise And Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. grieue not the holy spirit of God whereby yee are sealed vnto the day of redemption If therefore by this earnest and seale we haue attained vnto this assurance of our adoption and right vnto our heauenly inheritance we may be assured also that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs for the cause and the effect cannot be seuered and our assurance of our heauenly bargaine doeth plainely argue that we haue receiued this earnest and seale by which alone it is confirmed vnto vs. But that we may not be deceiued with a false and counterfeite seale let vs remember that this seale onely is annexed vnto the couenant of grace which requireth on our part the condition of faith and repentance and as it is Gods priuy seale according to that the Lord knoweth them that are his so there is a broade seale ioyned with it let euery 2 Tim. 2. 19. one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity and therefore those who liue in their infidelity and impenitency haue not receiued this seale for what haue they to doe with the seale to whom the couenant doeth not appertaine § Sect 20. The fourth effect is the spirit of supplication A fourth effect of the spirit is to enable vs vnto prayer and to powre forth our soules vnto God in such an acceptable manner as that our suites and petitions are hard and graunted by him whereof it is called by the Prophet Zachary the spirit of grace and supplication which the Lord promiseth to power vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants Zach. 12. 10. of Ierusalam that is all the true members of the inuisible Church militant here on earth So the Apostle plainly Rom. 8. 26. telleth vs that we know not for what to pray as we ought but it is the spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession Iud. ver 20. for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered And therefore the Apostle Iude knowing our insufficiencie in our selues to performe this duty doeth exhort vs to pray in the holy Ghost Whereby it appeareth that the spirit of God dwelleth in all those who in the sight and sense of their owne spirituall wants doe powre foorth their hearts and soules vnto God in prayer with faith and feruency of spirit which properties I require in that prayer which assureth vs that the spirit dwelleth in vs and not ability on the sudden vpon euery occasion to conceiue a prayer and to vtter it in eloquence of words choyse phrases or a continued ready discourse of speach For it is not saide that the spirit teacheth vs wordes and fluent phrases but to pray in the heart and spirit with sighes and groanes which cannot bee vttered which language God that searcheth the heart vnderstandeth and accepteth as the Apostle speaketh yea being a spirit and requiring to be worshipped in spirit and Rom. 8. 27. Ioh. 4. 24 trueth hee esteemeth not the most eloquent prayers conceiued and vttered without this sight of our wants zeale and feruency of spirit and contrariwise where these are he heareth and granteth our fuites supplications though with Ezechias we are not able to expresse them but chatter like a Crawe or Swallow or with Hannah onely moue our Esa 38. 14. lippes yea in trueth though wee should not so much as moue them so that with her wee speake vnto him in our 1 Sam. 1. 13. hearts Neither hath the Lord promised that he
called the spirit which hee substituteth as his vicegerent and chiefe deputie in the regenerate man And though he doth not quite expell the flesh Sathans lieutenant out of vs yet at the first entrance he giueth him a mortall wound of which he neuer recouereth and deposeth him from his vice-gerencie so that howsoeuer it still dwelleth yet it reigneth not in our mortall bodies as in former times Onely Rom. 6. 12. Gods spirit suffereth this enemy to inhabite still with vs that by the opposition which it maketh it might exercise the spirituall part in the Christian Warfare that hereby it might bee made more vigilant and diligent more strong and actiue and in the end obtaining victory might bee crowned with the greater glory In which combate and conflict he leaueth not the spirituall man to himselfe but continually sendeth vnto him fresh aydes of renewed graces whereby he is inabled to ouercome Euen as on the other side Sathan the prince of darknesse though hee bee thrust out of his possession and regency yet he leaueth and forsaketh not his wounded and weakned deputy the flesh but laboureth continually to recure his wound ministreth vnto him new strength by his hellish tentations and suggestions and by breathing and infusing into him the poyson of enmity and malice against God and all goodnesse stirreth him vp to rebellion against his holy spirit and to make warre against that garrison of his graces which hee hath placed in vs. §. Sect. 4. The former poynt proued by diuers reasons So that not onely the qualitie of holinesse but the holy spirit not onely the gifts and graces of the spirit but the holy Ghost himselfe dwelleth and raigneth in the man regenerate keeping still possession after that Sathan is driuen out and strengthening the regenerate part against all the assaults of the flesh and the lustes thereof The which may appeare by these reasons first because we are called the habitation 1 Cor. 3. 16 6. 19. of God and the temples of the holy Ghost which cannot be vnderstood of his giftes and graces onely which are improperly saide to dwell in Temples seeing this belongeth rather to persons then vnto things and qualities but of the holy spirit himselfe Secondly the spirit of God and not his gifts and graces onely are the bond of the spirituall vnion which wee haue with Christ for dwelling in Christ our head and in vs likewise who are his members it maketh vs to become one mysticall body with him euen as the head and diuers members make one naturall body being animated quickned by the same soule Thirdly the actiōs which in the Scriptures are attributed to the spirit dwelling in vs cānot fitly be applied to bare qualities but properly belong to the spirit it selfe For this spirit dwelling in vs is said to rule and gouerne vs to guide direct teach and instruct vs to sanctifie and purifie vs to conuince vs of sinne and to replenish vs with all sauing graces Now the qualitie of holinesse and the author by whom it is created the graces themselues and he that infuseth them and worketh them in vs are diuers Fourthly as Sathan keepeth his residence in wicked men working them vnto all maner of sinne and holding them so captiue that they doe his will for so the Apostle saith that the Ephesians walked in time past according Eph. 2. 2. to the prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience c. So the spirit of God comming and thrusting him out of possession dwelleth in vs leading vs into all trueth replenishing vs with all grace and enclining vs to all holy obedience and to the performance of all good and Christian duties Lastly the spirit dwelling in vs and the new man are plainely distinguished in the Scriptures For so the Apostle saith yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God Rom. 8. 9. dwell in you now if any man haue not the spirit of Christ that is the same holy spirit which dwelleth in our head and Sauiour Christ he is none of his And else where he prayeth that God would grant vnto the Ephesians according to the riches Eph. 3. 16. of his grace to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man By all which it appeareth that not onely the qualitie of holinesse wrought in vs by the spirit and the sauing graces thereof but also the spirit it selfe dwelleth in vs assisting and strengthening vs in this christian warfare against the diuell and the flesh with the lusts thereof §. Sect. 5. That the spirit-doth not dwell in vs essentially more then in other creatures Notwithstanding I doe not nor dare affirme that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs essentially more then in any other creature communicating his essence with vs as an essentiall part of vs. For his nature and essence being most simple and indiuisible in comprehensible and omnipresent filling all places without repletion and containing all it selfe being infinite and contained of nothing cannot be saide thus to dwell in man for this were to deifie and make a God of him much lesse doe I say that the spirit assumeth our nature as the second person assumed the nature of Christ to subsist in him by personall vnion and to become one with him and he with vs for thus also we should fall into the same errour of deifying man and besides then the third person in Trinity should be incarnate as well as the second Yea contrariwise we are to knowe that the spirit is said to be giuen vs in the same sense as he is said to be sent forth vnto vs Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit Gal. 4. 6. of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba father Now by this phrase of sending forth the holy Ghost teacheth vs that the spirit is in one maner in Christ in another maner in vs for he is in him most properly substantially essentially as being his spirit coessentiall with him coeternall in which respect the Apostle maketh him and the spirit all one 2. Cor. 3. 17. The Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Col. 2. 9. he saith that in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily but in vs not primarily and originally but as he is sent forth of Christ vnto vs by whom Col. 2. 9. we haue speciall right vnto him since his resurrection by Iohn 16. 7 vertue of his promise Iohn 16. 7. If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And by his mediation and intercession now sitting at the right hand of his father according to that I will pray the father and he will giue you another comforter that he Iohn 14. 16. may abide with you for euer So that the spirit is in
blocks in his way and often trippeth at his heeles to make him stumble fal though it cannot quench and extinguish his desire to serue and please God yet it much abateth the heate and feruour of his zeale and though it cannot quite crush and sincke him yet it will so shrewdly bowe and buckle him together that hee is ready to complaine with Dauid that he is crooked Psal 38. 6. and bowed downe greatly and therefore goeth mourning all the day long The consideration whereof should moue euery Christian to bee humbled in the sight of his owne frailtie wants and imperfections to deny himselfe and his owne righteousnesse that hee may wholly rest vpon the perfect and al-sufficient righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ for his iustâ—fication and to ascribe vnto God the whole glory and praise of his saluation For the minde will heart and affections which are the causes and fountaines from which all our workes doe spring being in part regenerate and in part vnregenerate partly spirituall and Esa 64. 6. partly carnall all our workes and actions which proceede and spring from them must needes bee of the like nature 1. Cor 10. 12. Phil. 2. 12. So also it should moue vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and whilest wee stand to take heede of falling seeing we are so full of frailty and are so much weakened vnto all good actions through the malignitie and continuall opposition of our sinnefull flesh This should make vs to keepe a narrowe watch ouer our hearts that they be not hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and to Prou. 4. 24. Heb 3. 13. 32. 13. lift vp the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees and to make straight pathes for our feete least that which is lame be turned out of the way as the Apostle exhorteth It should cause vs to mourne and grone in the sight and sense of our carnall corruption hindering vs in all good actions and leading vs captiue vnto sinne and to cry out with the Apostle wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Finally it should moue vs to poure forth Rom. 7. 23. daily vnto God most feruent and effectual prayers desiring Pro. 4. 23. Heb. 3. 13. him to annoynt our stiffe limbes with the oyle of his spirit and to enlarge our hearts that we may runne more chearefully and swiftly in the way of his Commaundements to Heb. 12. 13. strengthen vs daily with his might and to send continually into vs fresh aydes of his sanctifying graces whereby wee may be inabled to withstaÌ„d the coÌ„tinual assaults of the flesh to subdue and mortifie it with the lustes thereof that it may not be able to resist the good motions of his spirit and hinder our Christian course in the way of godlinesse and in his good time wholly to abolish this our enemy and to giue vnto vs a full a finall victory ouer it in Iesus Christ CHAP. VIII Of the subiect of this Conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit § Sect. 1. There can be no conflict in them that are perfectly sanctified THe next point to be considered in this conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit is the subiect of it where and in whom it is fought The which is such persons as are regenerate and the faithfull onely whilest they liue in the world for in them onely is the cause of this conflict which is the cohabitation of these enemies which assault and resist one another Neither can there be any such combate in the glorified Saints because they are perfectly sanctified and haue no reliques of the flesh or sinnefull corruption remaining in them and consequently no enemy to oppose and resist the spirit For whereas it may bee obiected that there was a conflict in our Sauiour who was perfectly holy when being in his agony hee prayed to haue the cup passe from him and then submitted his will to his fathers Not my will but thine be done To this I answere that this Mat. 26. 42. was not the conflict berweene the flesh and the spirit but as the Schoolemen speake betweene two willes in Christ the superiour and the inferiour or the will of reason and the will of sensuality the one being the will of the flesh or naturall appetite and concupiscence the other the will Ioh. 1. 13. of the man or the reasonable creature as the Apostle Iohn seemeth to distinguish them Thus the Disciples hauing long watched by their inferiour will and sensuall appetite desired sleepe But the will of reason should haue ouerruled this and therefore because it did not our Sauiour reproueth them Could you not watch with me one hower So Mat. 26. 42. a man may by his inferiour will desire to eate and drinke and in his superiour will may desire rather to abstaine that it may be conformable to Gods reuealed will requiring that wee should humble our selues by fasting and prayer So when death approacheth a man may in his inferiour will and naturall appetite desire to liue and yet in his reasonable will submit himselfe to Gods good pleasure Yea desire in many respects to be dissolued and to be with Christ And thus our Sauiour being man and in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted desired that the cuppe of his passion might passe from him in his inferiour will and naturall appetite which shunneth death and seeketh the preseruation of it selfe but in his reasonable will considering the ende why he came into the world which was by his death to glorifie God in perfecting the worke of our redemption he ouerruled the naturall appetite did wholly submit himselfe to the wil of his father Neither is the sensuall will sinnefull vnlawfull when it is subiected to the reasonable but wheÌ„ it goeth about of a subiect to become a Soueraigne and to resist and ouerrule that vnto which it should yeeld obedience Euen as it is no fault in a subiect to desire that his owne will in things lawfull or indifferent may be done so that when hearing the contrary pleasure of his Prince he doe not rebell against it but is content willingly to submit himselfe vnto it Or if wee would haue this strife and conflict to be in the same will of Christ wee may say that it was a combate not betweene grace and corruption but betweene diuers desires in the same will which may lawfully be in a man if they be grounded on diuers respects as a man may at the same time lawfully desire to liue that hee may glorifie God or to dye that hee may cease to sinne be glorified by him he may desire to eate for the refreshing of nature and the repelling of the paine of hunger and to fast that he may be fitted the better for some religious exercise And so our Sauiour desired to haue the cuppe passe from him hauing respect to the preseruation of his nature
direction It much cheareth and delighteth this heauenly counsellour when as wee hearken to his counsels and be aduised by him in all our courses whereas there can be no comfort to any Prince in his gouernment when as his subiects vpon euery occasion stand out in open rebellion and continually resist him in all his lawfull Commaundements and who would not refuse it as an irksome office to be still aduising a man of such a refractory spirit as will either neuer followe his counsaile or make it vnseasonable and vnprofitable by vnnecessary delayes If therefore we would comfort and cherish the spirit let vs willingly entertaine the good motions which it putteth into our minds and speedily put them in practise and execution As for example when as fit oportunitie being offered it moueth vs to call vpon God by prayer either to begge the graces which wee want or to giue him thankes for benefits receiued we are not to tread this motion vnder foote by vtter neglect nor yet to coole or quench it by casting vpon it the cold water of delaies but wee must presently nourish the motion and not deferre to put it in execution when it moueth vs to attend vnto the hearing of the word either on the Lords day when as we are bound to meete in the holy assemblies or on the weeke day when as our necessary imployments in the workes of our callings will giue vs reasonable opportunitie we are to take hold of the occasion offred and not deferre it by causelesse delaies And when God presenteth vs with an obiect of misery and his spirit moueth vs to take the present occasion of doing a worke of mercy as by giuing an almes to the needy visiting the sicke and such as are in prison helping the impotent and comforting the comforâ—les and afflicted wee must not neglect these workes of charitie nor put them off to another time but as willingly and chearefully apprehend the present opportunitie as the husbandman doeth the season of sowing the Merchant of trading and the Marriner of hoysing vp sayles when as hee hath gotten a good gale of winde seeing otherwise God may iustly punish our negligence by neuer granting vs againe such seasonable occasions §. Sect 4. The fourth meanes is serious care to maintaine our peace with God and the peace of conscience The fourth meanes of cherishing and strengthening of the spirit is to bee carefull of maintaining our peace with God and our assurance of his loue and fauour the which is best done by preseruing peace in our owne consciences and by keeping them cleare of knowne voluntary sinnes whereby the anger of our heauenly Father is prouoked against vs and we exposed to his heauy iudgements For if God bee offended how shall his spirit bee well pleased with vs how shall hee be willing to renewe our strength and to send vnto vs fresh supplies of his graces to aide and assist vs against our spirituall enemies or how shall the created spirit dwelling in vs with courage and comfort fight against the diuell the world and the flesh when as it is depriued of the light of Gods countenance and hath its peace interrupted with him yea when it apprehendeth his wrathfull displeasure and as it was with Iob and Dauid conceiueth that God hath not onely forsaken him but is also become his enemie how shall the streames of Gods graces continue running when as they are stopped and cut off from the spring and fountaine or how should our strength hold out when the God of our strength doeth withdrawe himselfe from vs If therefore we would haue the spirit in vs strong and uigorous let vs preserue as much as in vs lieth our intercourse with God and vse all good meanes to strengthen our faith in the assurance of his loue and our reconciliation and peace with him for if God be with it the spirit will be so couragious and magnanimous that it will not care who opposeth against it Yea our care must bee not onely to strengthen our faith in this assurance that God who hath chosen vs will neuer leaue vs and that hauing begun the good worke of regeneration he will neuer giue it ouer till he hath fully finished it because hee is vnchangeable in his loue and his gifts and calling are without repentance but if wee would haue the spirit strong and vigorous wee most not neglect the feelings of faith nor the sensible comforts of Gods loue warming and comforting our hearts but wee must labour to finde the vertue and efficacy of his grace working in vs and haue the experimentall apprehension of the comforts of his spirit Wee must endeauour to haue not onely Gods graces habitually but to feele their seuerall actions and operations working our hearts to all good duties For though the sunshine of Gods fauour once shining vpon vs can neuer vtterly faile yet the beames thereof may by the interposition of our sins bee ecclypsed from vs for a time though the fountaine of his grace towards vs can neuer be dried vp yet the streames thereof may bee so stopped that wee can by present apprehension feele little comfort by it And though our faith which is the life of our spirit cannot be lost of those who euer had it yet when the life of our life the comfortable seelings of faith our communion with God peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost are taken away or for a time suspended and hid from vs we are exceedingly weakened in the spirituall part and haue litle comfort or courage in maintaining the fight against our spirituall enemies Now these feelings of faith and comforts of the spirit are best obtained and kept when as wee preserue our Communion fellowship and familiar acquaintance with God in the conscionable and frequent vse of his holy ordinances the hearing of his word Prayer the vse of the Sacraments keeping company with him in his holy assemblies where he is present by his spirit when as with the spouse in the Canticles we reioice in his coÌ„pany and with Dauid bee rauished with ioy and delight when as wee meete him in his holy Temple and when as with them Psal 84. 1. psal 42. 1. 2. wee mourne and grieue for his absence and when he with draweth himselfe doe seeke his face and fauour and aboue all things desire and long after his comfortable presence When as wee labour daily in the mortification of our sins which doe make a seperation betweene our God and vs and doe exercise our selues in all holy duties of his seruice thereby glorifying his holy name and edifying our neighbours by our good example Which if wee doe then shall the beames of Gods fauour and the streames of his graces haue a cleare passage vnto vs with which our spirituall part shall be so cheared cherished and encreased in strength that we shall easily withstand all the malice and fury of our spirituall enemies and obtaine an happy victory in our Christian warfare
§ Sect 5. The 5 meanes is to preserue our selues pure and cleane from all pellution The fifth meanes to nourish and cherish the spirit in vs is to preserue our bodies and soules which are his temples in their cleannesse and puritie from all pollution of sinne and wickednesse for as a good ayre and sweete habitation doeth much refresh and strengthen our naturall and vitall spirits and preserue our bodies in health so no lesse doeth it comfort our comforter and cheare and cherish the spirit of God in vs if wee prouide for him a holesome and pleasant lodging cleansed and purged from all noisome filth of sinfull impuritie and sweetned and adorned with the incense and odours of our prayers and the flowers and fruits of our good workes and holy obedience § Sect. 6 The 6 meanes is to keepe the spirit and the graces thereof in continuall exercise The sixth meanes to preserue and strenthen the spirit and to increase in vs the graces and giftes thereof is to keepe them in continuall exercise and to cause these habits to shew themselues in their functions and operations For no more necessary is breathing and mouing for the preseruing the life of our bodies then fruitfull working and holy walking in all Christian duties is for the preseruing and cherishing the life of the spirit according to that of the Apostle If wee liue in the spirit let vs also walke in the Gal. 5. 25. spirit And as in naturall things the causes are preserued by producing their effects and habits and qualities confirmed and strengthened by their functions and operations so is it also in the spirit and spirituall graces We finde by experience that the sight is bettred by seeing and much weakened when it is depriued of fit obiects The habituall memory is much strengthened by the practical and made feeble and vnfaithfull when as it hath no exercise or imployment the vnderstanding becommeth more intelligent by minding and conceiuing and iâ— much impaired when it is not vsed the strength of the arme hand legge and the whole body is much strengthened and increased by action and exercise and decaieth and is greatly enfeebled by sloth and idlenesse And thus it is also with the spirit and spirituall graces let vs vse them and we shall haue them let these rootes of holinesse bring forth their boughes and branches their leaues of profession and their fruits of practise and they will liue and prosper spread inwardly and spring and sproute outwardly but if wee hinder them from bearing their leaues and rootes and bee still cutting and lopping of their boughes and branches they will in a while dye and perish Let this fire of the spirit haue fit vent to send out its flames of holy and righteous actions and it will still liue burne and blaze but if once wee beginne to stop this vent it will presently dye and turne to cold embers Let faith exercise it selfe in apprehending the promises in waiting for the performance in fighting against doubting and in bearing the fruits of good workes and from a graine of mustardseede it will growe to a great tree from smoking flaxe to a burning flame and from a feeble assent to a firme and full perswasion So let loue be exercised in doing and suffring for Gods sake in performing vnto him all holy seruice and Christian duties and in the workes of mercy and charitie towards our neighbours and of a litle sparke it will increase to a great fire let the shoulders of patience be inured to bearing of the Crosse and suffering afflictions in putting vp wrongs and ouercomming euill with good though they bee weake and tender at the first they will in a litle while become hard strong and so it is in all other graces by exercise they are increased by sloth and ease they are weakned and wasted And therefore Dauid no sooner thinketh of receiuing grace and strength from God then he resolueth to exercise them to the vttermost I will runne saith he the way of thy Commaundements when thou shalt inlarge my heart And againe teach me O Lord the way of thy Psal 119. 32. 33. 34. statutes and I will keepe them vnto the end Giue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy lawe yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart § Sect. 7 The last meanes is frequent and feruent prayer The last principall meanes of strengthening and cherishing the spirit is earnest and effectual prayer vnto God that he will strengthen our weaknesse and quicken our dulnesse and support our faintnesse by continuall renewing his spirit in vs and sending fresh supplies of his sauing graces to re-enforce and refresh our decaied bands that by these new aides wee may be enabled to stand in the day of battell and to get the victory ouer all our spirituall enemies for it is this holy fire descended from heauen which kindleth this spirituall fire in vs whereby wee offer incense sacrifices and oblations acceptable vnto God the smoake whereof driueth away the enemies of our saluation His eternall spirit is the liuing fountaine of these cleare cristalline waters whereby our thirsty soules are refreshed in the spirituall conflict and our hands and eyes all other parts when they are wearied and tired doe receiue renewed Psal 144. 1. strength It is he that teacheth our hands to warre and our fingers to fight and giueth vnto vs full and finall victory ouer all our enemies and the crowne of victory euerlasting glory And therfore when we see the battell hot against vs 1 King 22. and ourselues weary and weake to make resistance let vs imitate the good King Iehosaphat and crie aloude vnto the Lord to succour and strengthen vs when wee see our graces spent and our spirituall strength wasted and weakened in making resistance let vs call vnto him for fresh aides and renewed strength whereby wee may bee enabled to hold oâ—t and ouercome § Sect. 8. The conclusion of the booke And thus haue I through Gods mighty and most mercifull assistance finished also this last part of the Christian Warfare a worke so much the more difficult because the flesh which is the enemy against whom I intend it holdeth a strong party in my selfe darkening my vnderstanding that I might not discouer its slights and subtilties malice and might nor discerne the best meanes for the defeating of its pollicies and subduing of it power The Lord make me euer truely thankefull vnto his holy Maiesty for this mercie and giue me grace alwayes to esteeme it as one of his his chiefest benefits in this life that hee hath vsed mee the weakest and vnworthiest of many hundreds of my brethren as his poore instrument in so good an imployment and stirre vp in his good time some other of his choysest and chiefest Worthies for the further perfecting of that which I in my mediocritie haue begun hitting the marke at which I haue but aymed and training exactly the Christian Souldiour in the feates of spirituall armes whom I as I was able haue but in some little measure acquainted with the knowledge of the Christian Warfare And the Lord giue his grace vnto vs all both strongest weakest that we may not onely instruct others in this spirituall art of fighting against the enemies of our saluation but that wee our selues muy put on the spirituall armour and fight continually with courage and resolution vnder the standard of the Lord of Hoasts and because we are vnskilfull and knowe not how to fight and exceeding weake and feeble in our strength and vnable to stand in the incounter and beare the brunt of the battell that hee will teach our hands or rather our hearts to warre and our fingers or rather our affections to fight and that hee will continually renew our strength and send vs dayly fresh supplyes of his spirituall and sauing graces whereby wee may be enabled vvith constancy and perseuerance to maintaine the fight vntill hauing gotten a full and finall victory wee be like conquerours crowned with glory and immortalitie the which he vouchsafe vnto vs euen for his Christs sake the Sonne of his loue and the author continuer and finisher of our saluation to whom with the blessed Father and holy Spirit be ascribed of vs and his whole Church all praise and glory power and dominion from this time forth and for euermore Amen FINIS
The operations of the sanctifing spirit signified by diuers metaphors and first by wine an oyle § 9 The spirit compared to water § 10 The spirit compared to fier § 11 That wee may know that the spirit dwelleth in vs by the operations signified by the former metaphors § 12 Of the special fruites of the spirit whereby we may knew that it dwelleth in vs. § 13 Of other speciall fruits of the spirit respecting our neighbours § 14 Of some other special fruits of the spirit respecting our persons CHAP. XIII Of the euent and successe of the fight betweene the flesh and the spirit § 1 Of the foyles which the spirit receiueth in this conflict § 2 That from the foyles of the spirit arise earnest desires to be freed from the slauerie of sinne § 3 Secondly an indeauour in the vse of all good meanes to be preserued from such foyles for the time to come § 4 How farre the flesh may preuayle against the spirit and 1 that common graces may be lost for a time § 5 Secondly that the shewes and semblances of sauing graces in temporaries may perish vtterly § 6 That true sauing graces in the regenerate may be lost seemingly § 7 Other graces springing from those which are fundamentall may for a time be lost § 8 That sauing and fundamentall graces may be lost in some degrees in respect of their operations § 9 Whether Dauid lost any degree of his fundamentall graces when he committed adulterie and murther § 10 That our spirituall graces in the Conflict doe not stand in their owne strength § 11 An obiection against the former doctrine answered § 12 Of the assured victorie which the spirit obtaineth ouer the flesh in this Conflict § 13 An obiection against the former truth answered § 14 That there are two degrees of the spirits victory 1. in this life § 15 Of the second degree of victory at the houre of death CHAP. XIIII Of the reasons which may encourage vs to this Conflict against the flesh § 1. The 1. reason because it is the will of God that we should fight against it § 2 The 2. reason is the necessitie of this Conflict § 3 The third reason taken from the manifold euils which are done vnto vs by the Flesh § 4 The fourth reason is taken from the assurance of victory CHAP. XV. Of the meanes whereby we may be enabled to ouercome the flesh § 1 The 1. meanes that we put on the whole armour of God § 2 The second meanes is to obserue certaine rules for the weakening of the flesh and first that we doe not nourish the enemie which we would ouercome § 3 That we must withdraw from the flesh the prouision and munition whereby it is strengthened § 4 That wee must stop all the passages to keepe backe prouision for the flesh § 5 That we must take heede especially of some principall sinnes which most strengthen the flesh § 6 That we must moderate our selues in the vse of things indifferent § 7 That we must auoide the other extreame of hurting our bodies whilest we goe about to tame the flesh § 8 That wee must take from the flesh the weapons and armour whereby it most preuaileth CHAP. XVI Of other meanes whereby the flesh may be subdued and ouercome § 1 That wee must keepe a narrow watch ouer our selues and ouer our enemies § 2 That we must keepe this watch in all things § 3 That we must keepe this watch ouer all the faculties and parts of our soules and bodies § 4 That we must keepe a speciall watch ouer our tongues § 5 That aboue all other parts wee must keepe this narrow watch ouer our hearts § 6 That we must keepe this watch in our spirituall armour CHAP. XVII Of two other rules to bee obserued of those who would subdue the flesh § 1 The third rule is that we withstand the flesh in all the occasions and meanes of sinfull lusts § 2 The fourth rule is that we resist the flesh in the first beginnings of sinne § 3 That the longer wee deferre the fight the more difficult and doubtfull we make the victory § 4 That if we doe not withstand the first assaults of the flesh we are not so wise as worldlings in their generation § 5 How dangerous it is to giue away the first motions vnto sinne shewed by examples CHAP. XVIII Of three other rules to be obserued for the subduing of the flesh § 1 That wee must thinke no sinne so small that wee may willingly commit it To vvhich end wee must consider first that by the least sinne Gods Law is transgressed § 2 The great euils which come of the least sinnes § 3 That small sinnes willingly entertained are no lesse dangerous then the greatest § 4 That the auoiding of small sinnes is a notable meanes to preserue vs from greater § 5 That euen the least sinnes are the poison of the Soule and the liuery of Sathan § 6 That enemies proue most dangerous whē they are most despised § 7 That if wee doe not hate small sinnes as well as great wee hate none with Christian hatred § 8 The sixt rule is that we must neglect no sinne as though we were in no danger of falling into it § 9 The seuenth rule is that we set no stint to our mortification § 10 That our mortification must extend it selfe to all sinfull corruptions and to all times CHAP. XIX Of the first meanes to strengthen then the Spirit which is to auoide the meanes whereby it is weakened § 1 That our sins are the chiefe meanes wherby the spirit is weakned § 2 Of some speciall meanes wherby the spirit is most weakened § 3 That we must not prouide for the spirit poison in stead of holesome nourishment nor carnall weapons in stead of spirituall § 4 That wee must not remit any thing of our first zeale in holy duties § 5 That we must auoide sloth and negligence CHAP. XX. Of the meanes whereby wee may comfort cheare and strengthen the Spirit to this Conflict § 1 The first meanes earnest and longing desires after spirituall strength § 2 The second meanes is a carefull indeauour in the vse of all good means for the strengthening of it § 3 The third meanes is to nourish the good motions of the spirit § 4 The fourth meanes is serious care to maintaine our peace with God and the peace of conscience § 5 The fift meanes is to preserue our selues pure and cleane from all pollution § 6 The sixt meanes is to keepe the spirit and the graces thereof in continuall exercise § 7 The seuenth meanes is frequent and feruent Prayer § 8 The conclusion of the Booke A In this Conflict two things to be considered 1. The enemies and combatants which are described 1. By their names and natures the Flesh Chap. 1. to 8. Spirit Secondly their properties where is shewed that the flesh is an enemy exceeding dangerous the which appeareth first in respect
adhering to all the parts and faculties of our soules and bodies vnmortified and vncrucified or that part of a Christian which is vnregenerate and continually fighteth and striueth against the spirit And this is the malicions enemie that assisteth Sathan and the world to worke our vtter ouerthrow vnto which the Scriptures haue giuen many names whereby the nature and qualities there of are implyed that we may the better know it and arme our selues to fight against it For it is called the a Rom. 6. 6. Ephes 4. 22. Col. 3. 9. old man not onely because in age and antiquitie it almost matcheth humane nature but rather to imply vnto vs that like those who by reason of their old age haue had much experience it is very subtle and politique and so full of sleights and stratagems that if wee be not exceeding wary and watchfull it will easily circumuent vs. It is called also the b 1. Cor. 2. 14. naturall man because this corruption ouerspreadeth the whole nature of all men who are vnregenerate for howsoeuer in the first creation we were good free from sinne yet after the fall of our first parents wee were so degenerate and infected in our natures with the poison of their corruption that it is as naturall familiar and easie to sin and offend God as for a man to eate drink and sleepe for a fish to swim a bird to flie or for a stone to descend downwards It is called the old Adam to leade vs vnto the fountaine from which it sprung that is not God who made all things good but our first parents who as they lost the image of God by their fall and were wholly corrupted in their owne natures so they deriued their corruption vnto all their posteritie and hauing first defiled themselues with this spirituall Leprosie did also infect therewith all that numerous of-spring which descended of them It is called the c 2. Cor. 9. 17. Rom. 8. 10. body because this corruption dwelleth in the bodie and exerciseth it selfe in it by it as by it instrument in the committing and perpetrating of all the workes of darknes and that we may the more clearely discerne what body the Apostle meaneth he calleth it the d Rom. 6. 6. body of sinne and the e Col. 2. 11. body of the sinnes of the flesh because the flesh by the bodie committeth all manner of sinne and wickednesse It is called the body of death because it is the cause of death and f Rom. 7. 24. condemnation in which sense Elizaus his Disciples said that death was in the pot that is deadly poysonous hearbs which would cause them to dye who had tasted of them It is called also g Rom. 7. 8. 11 sinne not onely because it selfe is sinne but also the roote and fountaine of all other wickednesse and the h Rom. 7. 17. sinne that dwelleth in vs because like the strong man it keepeth sure possession till a stronger commeth and dispossesseth it euen the Spirit of God dwelling in vs. It is called i Iam. 1. 13. 14. euill concupiscence because it filleth vs with sinfull lusts and maketh vs to to stand in opposition against the will of God desiring and willing that which he nilleth and condemneth It is called k Heb. 12. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin which encloseth or besetteth vs about because this hellish Captaine with a whole armie of sinfull lusts enuiron vs on euery side so as wee cannot possibly of our selues escape out of their ambushments Finally it is called the law of sinne the l Rom. 7. 23. law of the members and the m Rom 8. 2. law of death because it is the rule of all the naturall mans actions guiding him into all wickednesse the commander of all his parts and members vnto whose iniunctions they doe like subiects yeeld free and willing obedience the which their seruice and subiection is in the end rewarded with euerlasting death of bodie and soule CHAP. III. What wee are to vnderstand by the Spirit in this discourse §. Sect. 1. That the word Spirit is diuersly taken in the Scriptures AND thus wee haue shewed what the flesh is which is one of the champions in this spirituall combate now wee are to consider of the other which is the Spirit and that wee may the more distinctly know what it is wee must vnderstand that the word Spirit is diuersly taken in the Scriptures and to omit many acceptations which are altogether impertinent to our present purpose we may obserue that it is sometimes taken generally for all spirituall and incorporeall substances and sometimes more specially for some one of them And thus it sometime signifieth the whole a Ioh. 4. 24. deitie and sometime euery one of the persons the Father the b Ioh. 6. 63. Sonne in respect of his diuine nature and the c 1. Ioh. 5. 6. 7. holy Ghost who hath this name of spirit after a vsuall and peculiar manner giuen vnto him But howsoeuer God and euery of these holy and diuine persons doe fight in vs and for vs against the flesh seeing it is their grace that supporteth vs and their strength whereby wee ouercome yet we are not to vnderstand by spirit in the following discourse this diuine nature who being omnipotent none is able to resist Sometime it signifieth the d Eccles 12. 7. Act. 7. 59. 2. Cor. 7. 1. soule of man euen as the flesh is taken for the bodie but these are not opposites and enemies but deare friends who so entirely loue that they feare nothing more then to be separated and to part company Sometime it signifieth that chiefe and excellent facultie of the soule called e 1. Cor. 2. 11. Rom. 12. 2. Luke 1. 47. reason and vnderstanding but neither can it here be taken in this sense because this spirit it selfe is corrupt and sinfull and this naturall reason and wisedome is enmitie against God and against this spirit whereof we speake which opposeth and fighteth against it as against his chiefest enemie Sometime it is taken for the vigour and efficacie of the vnderstanding and reason it selfe as where the Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians to be renued in the spirit of their minde Sometime by spirit we vnderstand the f Luke 1. 15. Gal. 3. 2. Act. 2. 18. gifts and graces of the spirit as Faith Loue Hope Ioy and the rest which being fruits of the Spirit do stand in opposition to the lusts of the flesh and in some sort doe fight against them they being contrarie the one to the other Finally the Spirit sometime signifieth a new qualitie of holinesse created and wrought in all the Elect by the Spirit of God whereby all the powers and faculties of his soule and body are renewed according to the image of God in wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse In which sense wee are to vnderstand it in this place §. Sect. 2. What wee are
calleth the body of death and by chastizing whipping whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth to suppresse or keepe vnder And although hee granteth that the Apostle heere vseth a borrowed speech from those who according to ancient custome fought for a maistery and saith that he did euill intreate and keepe vnder his body like those champions who either with their sistes or with bags of sand did beate and bruise their aduersarie till they were blacke and blewe yet he saith and onely saith it without any shewe of reason that it is very probable that Paul vsed to whip his owne body both because the Greeke word signifieth so much which is vtterly false and because this kind of punishment was vsuall among the ancients which also wee must take vpon his word seeing he neither alleadgeth nor in trueth is able to alleadge any authoritie for it His other arguments to commend whipping and afflicting of the body are the Publicans smiting of his breast whereby hee shewed the compunction of his heart in his humiliation and penitent confession of his sinnes some testimonies of Hierome which speake of fasting sackcloath and beating of the breast Gods approouing and commaunding the paying of voluntary vowes the which he childishly restraineth Numb 30. to fastings and other afflictions of the body and among the rest to whipping though there be no collour for it in the place which he alledgeth And finally he produceth the example of Iohn the Baptist whose garment was Cammels hayre his meate locusts his bed as he saith but proueth not the ground his house the desart All which reasons and examples being farre vnfitting the wit of such a subtill sophister and in trueth nothing to the purpose I will passe ouer supposing that the bare repeating of them is a sufficient confutation and that like abortiue birthes they will presently dye as soone as they come to light § Sect. 3. That the papistes in their purest doctrine vnderstand by the flesh our bodies the inferiour sensitiue faculties only And thus doe they as it were in their dreame or dotage by the flesh vnderstand the body alone but when they are most awake and in the best strength of their memory and vnderstanding they doe by the flesh vnderstand the inferiour parts of the soule the sensitiue faculties the appetite and imagination as they are corrupted which also according to the doctrine of the last councell of Trent they hold not to be sinne but onely the punishment of it though the Apostle maketh the flesh not onely to be the cause of all other sinne but also with a certaine emphasis calleth it sinne it Rom. 7. 17. selfe So on the other side by the spirit they vnderstand the superior part of the soule the reason vnderstanding and wil which they magnifie and extoll as though it were free in it selfe from al corruption the cause of all good a professed enemy to the flesh fighting against it continually with all the lusts thereof And thus Thomas Aquinas saith that the flesh is said to fight against the spirit in as much as the sensitiue appetite Aquin in Rom. 7. lect 3. tendeth to the contrary of that which reason desireth according to that of the Apostle Gal. 5. the flesh lusteth against the spirit So Lewis de Granada saith that there are in our soule two principall parts which of Diuines are called the superiour and inferiour parts And that in the superiour L. Grenâ—t de perfect amoâ—is Dei cap. 7. which is called the spirit and the minde is the will and vnderstanding which ruleth the will and is as it were it eye and guide In the inferiour is the sensitiue appetite with the imagination which also is the eye of the appetite of which it is moued and these parts he maketh to be as it were two common wealthes in man the one of beastes the other of Dulcis precator lib. 1. par 2. Cap. 19. Angels That he calleth else where the flesh concupiscence sensualitie or the sensitiue appetite whence all the perturbations of the minde doe arise as it is corrupt and made inordinate through sinne And in the same place hee compareth the superiour part to a wife of so great beautie nobilitie and wisedome as is possibly incident to that sex making the man happy who is married vnto her and the inferiour part he compareth to a seruant a witch and sorceresse vpon whose loue this man is so besotted that putting away his wife hee maketh himselfe a pray to his slaue c. §. Sect. 4. That the practise of popish mortification plainely sheweth that by the flesh they vnderstand the body onely their mortification being nothing else but a bodily exercise And this is their purest conceit concerning the flesh and the spirit which being wholly corrupt how great is the corruption For in their practise they manifestly shewe that by the flesh they vnderstand the body seeing for the mortification thereof they appoint onely bodily exercises which tend to the vexing tormenting and weakening thereof as penance pilgrimages watchings whippings rough cloathing hard lodging and such like supposing that they fight against the flesh when they make warre against their owne bodies by afflicting and punishing it Wherein that I may not seeme to slaunder them I will insert an history of Memor lib. 2 in tract de satisfact Cap. 1. monkish mortification as it is recorded by their famous S. Clematus in his Booke called the Ladder of Paradise and in the fifth staffe of his ladder Which story for the worthinesse of it is related by Lewis of Granada in his Booke intitled the memoriall of a Christian life as a perfect patterne of mortification and is most vnfaithfully translated into english by one Hopkins a Priest for the practise and exercise of the english Catholickes And not to alter his methode though most confused because it is well enough sorted and suited to the matter nor to tire the reader with viewing ouer euery particular in that heape of trash briefely he telleth vs that himselfe comming into a much admired monastery he saw among the Monkes in their practise of penitence such wonderfull things as the eye of the negligent hath not seene the eare of the slothfull hath not heard neither hath entred into the heart of the dull and sluggish To wit such things and wordes as might ouercome with violence even God himselfe and such fashions and endeauours as would speedily encline him to shewe mercy For saith he I sawe some of the penitents stand abroad in the open ayre watching there whole nights vntill the morning neuer mouing their feete out of the same place and when they were grieuously vexed with drowsinesse comming vpon them they offered force to nature and would not take any rest but reuiled themselues and with disgraces and contumelies offered against their owne persons they rowsed vp their spirits Others I sawe standing in prayer and hauing their handes bound
of nature which was to bee purged away not onely in the body which here is signified by flesh but also in the soule which is here vnderstood by the Spirit So Ephe. 2. 3. Among whom saith he also wee all had our Ephes 2. 3. conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde And Rom. 8. 8. hee telleth Chrysost in Rom. 8. Ser. 13. Rom. 8. 8. vs that they who are in the flesh cannot please God Where by flesh we cannot vnderstand the body for then the seruants of God could not please him in this life but the corruption of nature with which our bodies and soules are defiled till they be renewed and sanctified by Gods spirit And thus Chrysostome expoundeth this place What then saith he shall we destroy our owne bodies and so goe out of the flesh that wee may please God Doest thou command vs to bee murtherers when as thou pretendest to draw vs vnto vertue Ye see what absurdities doe hence arise if these things be simply and literally vnderstood But by flesh here he meaneth not the body or bodily essence but a worldly and carnall life addicted to wantonnesse and voluptuous pleasures which make the whole man to become flesh For as they who are led by Gods spirit haue also their bodies made spirituall so they who are led by the flesh and are addicted to carnall delights they make their soules to become fleshly and carnall not by changing the essence and substance but by spoiling it of true nobilitie And this manner of speaking is vsed in the Old Testament where the flesh signifieth that grosse and earthy life which is filthily intangled in all absurd pleasures For God saith to Noah my spirit shall not stay with these men because they are flesh And yet Noah himselfe was clothed and encompassed with the garment of flesh but this was not the fault that offended God to be compassed with flesh because this was the worke of nature but in that they had made choise of a carnall and sensuall life And therefore Paul saith They who are in the flesh cannot please God and also addeth But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit not vnderstanding simply the substance of the flesh for so they were in it to whom hee writeth but such a flesh which is drawne and oppressed with lusts and passions Euen as the like speech of our Sauiour is to be vnderstood but you are not of the world not because they had not their habitation in the world but because they were not defiled with worldly malitiousnesse And afterwards more fully expounding those words You are not in the flesh but in the spirit What then saith he were they not in the flesh and did they goe about without bodies What sense or reason were in such a speech And therefore you see that he meaneth by flesh a Ambros de fide resurect To. 3. fleshly life And thus also Ambrose expoundeth this place The Apostle saith he by denying those to be in the flesh whom it is manifest to haue been in the flesh did not condemne in them the substance of flesh but their sinnes and sinfull corruptions that is the workes of the flesh §. Sect. 2. Other testimonies to proue the former poynt And vnto these testimonies of Scripture many more might be added As Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled So the Apostle saith that the wisedome or a Rom. 8. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minding of the flesh is emnitie against God and that the b Col. 2. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minde as well as the bodie is fleshly And thus he exhorteth the Ephesians to be renewed in the spirit of their mindes thereby implying that not onely the body and sensitiue faculties are naturally corrupted but c Eph. 4. 23 also the minde the chiefe part of man and hereof the spirit that is the prime vigour and chiefe faculty of the minde For what needeth any renouation if there were not in them the taynture of their old corruption So Rom. 12. 2. And be Rom. 12. 2. not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minde that you may proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Whereby hee implyeth that naturally they were corrupted euen in the vnderstanding part and ignorant of the will of God till they were renewed and inlightned by the Spirit of God which renouation is not finished at once but by little and little euen to the end of life according to that 2. Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Againe where the Apostle prayeth vnto God that the mindes of the faithfull might be renewed he plainely intimateth that they were by nature corrupt and sinfull And thus he prayeth that the faithfull Thessalonians might be sanctified 1 Thes 5. 23. wholly and that their whole spirit and soule and body might be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And that the Ephesians might haue the spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him and that the eyes of their vnderstanding being in lightned they might know what was the hope of their Calling c. Of which prayers they had great neede seeing as the Apostle testifieth of them they together with the rest of the Gentiles had their vnderstandings Eph. 4. 18. darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which was in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Ephes 4. 18. Finally the Apostle plainely determineth this question whereas hee saith that the enemies with whom wee wrastle in this Christian Warfare are not flesh and bloud but spirituall wickednesses euen the wicked spirit the world and our owne corruption §. Sect. 3. Reasons to proue that the body only is not the flesh The first taken from the names that are giuen vnto it Vnto these testimonies of Scripture wee may adde many reasons to proue that by the flesh wee are not onely to vnderstand the bodie and the sensitiue faculties or the corruption of them both but the sinne and pollution which hath ouerspread the whole man soule and body First because the names in the scriptures which are giuen to the flesh doe intimate thus much for it is called the old Adam and the old man which consist as well of a reasonable soule as of a Omne peccatum Caro dicitur Ambr in Eph. ◠Ezech. 18. 4. naturall body It is called sinne according to that of Ambrose All sinne is called the flesh and the soule sinneth as well as the body as the Prophet implyeth where hee saith that the soule that sinneth shall dye It is called the euill concupiscence and the act of lusting belongeth to the
The which danger is much aggrauated in that he doth not professe his emnity but is in outward shew a familiar friend vvho eateth drinketh and sleepeth with vs it maketh shew of loue but indeede mortally hateth vs it is like an helper but is in truth our greatest Aduersarie and like Sanballat and Tobiah it offereth his paines in building the wals of our Citie which may repulse forraigne forces when as it intendeth nothing but our ruine and to betray vs into the power of outward enemies For no sooner doth Sathan and the world besiege and assault vs with their tentations but presently it ioyneth with them and being acquainted with all our counsailes it reuealeth vnto them our secrets euen our hidden thoughts and vnknowne desires and like a wicked Dalilah hauing by treacherous flattery vndermined vs it discouereth to these cursed Philistims where our chiefe strength lyeth yea it secretly openeth the gates of our hearts and not onely letteth in all their forces but as soone as they are entred ioyneth with them and laying violent hands on the spirituall man it laboureth all it may to captiuate and destroy him And therfore the wilye red Dragon neuer maketh warre against vs vntill he be assured first of these inbred traytors and carnall Hic est qui manus nostras proprio cuigulo alligat et baculo nostro nos caedit Bernard ibid. aydes And as one saith it is his policie to binde vs alwaies with our owne girdle and to ouercome and beat vs with our owne staffe Yea not onely doth the flesh dwell and co-inhabite with vs but it also adhereth and inseparably cleaueth vnto vs as being a part and the greater part of our selues Whereby the dangerousnes of this enemy appeareth for the warre which it maketh against the new and spirituall man is not onely ciuill and domesticall which notwithstanding is much more perilous and terrible then that which is forraigne but without any metaphor properly and truely intestine and as it were in our owne bowels Besides this combate betweene them is fought in a place of great disaduantage namely this world where the worser Brande quidem periculum est et grauis lucta adusus domesticum hostem c Bernard de Quadri serm 5. parts hath many friends and strong aydes euen millions of wicked men and whole legions of Diuels and contrariwise the better part hath few friends and many enemies Great surely saith one is the danger and the conflict sore and grieuous against an enemie so domestique especially seeing wee are strangers and he a citizen hee inhabiteth his owne countrey and we here are exiles and strangers Yea in truth this warre is more intestiue then that vvhich was betweene Rebecca her twins For not onely doth here one person fight against another nor as some would haue it the body against the soule of the same man nor yet one faculty alone against another of a different nature the sensitiue against the reasonable and the will affections against the iudgement and conscience but also the selfe-same faculties against themselues reason against reason will against will the same affection against the same loue against loue feare against feare and hope against hope In which respect this fight with our flesh is much more dangerous then our fight with Sathan himselfe for though hee be sometime yea often neere vs yet not alwaies and when he is neerest hee is not alike neere as our owne flesh which adhereth to euery part and faculty of body and soule Though he casteth into our hearts and mindes the fiery darts of his tentations yet if we catch them vpon and quench them with the shield of faith they will not hurt vs. Yea though he buckle and close with vs yet if the Spirit of God dwelling in vs resist this foule spirit he will flie away at least for a season and wee Luk. 4. 13. shall be rid of his noysome company but our flesh and carnall corruptions inseparably cleaue vnto vs and though they be neuer so often ouercome by fasting prayer watchings and such like spirituall exercises yet as long as we liue we cannot be quite rid of them nor wholly subdue them and an hilate their strength but after they seeme to be withered they will againe flourish after they are weakened they will recouer strength after they seeme to languish with age they will regaine their youthfull vigour yea when in outward shew they appeare mortified and quite dead they will againe reuiue and standing stoutly in their strength they will re enforce the fight against vs. § Sect 2. That the daungerousnes of this enemie is much increased by reason of this cohabitation From whence it may plainely appeare how exceeding dangerous the flesh with the lusts thereof are vnto vs seeing they are enemies not onely strong and subtle but alwayes hard at hand not onely besieging and besetting vs but euen dwelling with and in vs. Whereby they haue no small aduantage against vs for neuer leauing but adhering and cleauing vnto vs in all places and at all times they are ready to vvatch all occasions and to take all opportunities of doing vs mischiefe laying traps and snares for vs in all our enterprises For doe vve vndertake the performance of holy and religious duties Why then they dogge and follow vs to the exercises and distract vs with vvorldly cogitations and wandring thoughts and oppresse our mindes with dulnesse drowsinesse and carnall wearinesse Are vve imployed in the duties of our callings They vvill make vs negligent and lazie and carrie vs away vvith carnall pleasures or so wholly and earnestly intent on them that vve shall spare no time for Gods seruice nor for the inriching of our soules vvith spirituall treasures Doe vve eate and drink to relieue and sustaine our bodies They are ready to make our tables snares turning sufficiencie into superfluitie and necessary foode into excesse and belly-cheare surfetting and drunkennesse where the soule and spirits are so oppressed that they are vtterly vnfit for any Christian duties Doe we intend to refresh our selues vvith honest recreations They doe attend and waite on vs mouing vs to consume a great part of our time in them which should be allotted to better exercises and euen to spend our strength and spirits in the immoderate vse of them whereby instead of being refreshed and cheared vve are disabled and made vtterly vnfit for the duties of Christianitie and of our callings and are so vvholly taken vp in the meanes that vve neglect the maine ends for vvhich we vse them Yea doe we after our labours betake our selues to our rest When vve locke our chamber doores vve cannot shut out these enemies but vvhether we vvill or no they vvill be our bedfellowes and are alwayes ready at our lying downe to distract vs from any good meditations or serious examination of vvhat we haue done or omitted the day past to fill our mindes with vaine dreames and vvicked imaginations and to
euery particular member of it who notwithstanding may and doe erre in some particulars and therefore the promise is to be limitted first vnto al truth necessary to our saluation and secondly that they shall by the spirit receiue this priuiledge that whereas the wicked continue and perish in fundamentall errours the faithfull though they may fall into them and continue in them for a time yet they shall not liue and dye in them but shall in Gods good time after their going astray heare the voyce of Gods word and spirit reuoking and recalling them into the right path and saying this is the way walke yee in it Esa 30. 21. § Sect. 7 That this should make vs to conforme our iudgment to the analogie of faith Againe seeing through the flesh dwelling in vs wee are subiect to ignorance and errour this should make vs to conforme our iudgement and opinion to the analogie of faith and as to hold fast those doctrines which are manifestly grounded vpon the Scriptures so to be modest and sober in maintaining such points as are doubtfull and controuersall when as other of our brethren differ from vs because we may erre by reason of those reliques of ignorance remaining in vs and they may erre also out of humaine frailtie and therefore are rather to bee pitied then hated and to be drawne not with rigour but with the spirit Phil. 3. 15. Gal 6. 1. of meekenesse Finally seeing the reliques of ignorance and errour will neuer leaue vs till death deuide vs this must make vs labour continually in the vse of all good meanes whereby our mindes may bee more and more illightened and our iudgements informed in the knowledge of Gods trueth that so we may be strengthened against those sharpe encounters where with ignorance and errour will daily assault vs. And especially wee are to heare the word study and meditate in the Scriptures and call often and earnestly by feruent prayers for the assistance and illumination of Gods holy spirit whereby we may be preserued from all errours and led into all trueth For if Dauid who was wiser then his ancients and had attained vnto more knowledge then his teachers had neede to make that prayer Open mine eyes O Lord that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law Psal 119. 18. and if the Apostle Paul who was immediately taught by Christ and had receiued such abundance of reuelations desired aboue all things still more and more to knowe Christ and to finde and feele the vertue and power of Christs Phil. 3. 10 death and resurrection then how much more should wee who come farre short of their perfection § Sect. 8. The conflict in our thoughts and imaginatiōs The next conflict which is to be considered in the mind is betweene the actions and opperations of it which like vnto the minde it solfe being partly spirituall and partly carnall doe continually striue and fight against one another And these are our thoughts and cogitations our meditations and imaginations which labour mutually to expell one another and to keepe the minde in their sole possession For when the spirit lifteth vp the minde in diuine contemplations and causeth it to thinke and meditate on heauenly things as the ende of our hopes or on the seruice of God the duties of Christianity or of our lawfull callings as the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto them then the flesh depresseth and pulleth it downe and as it were clippeth the wings or casteth vpon them the lime or slime of sinne when as it is soaring this loftie pitch and by suggesting such thoughts as are simply worldly and wicked or else impertinent and vnseasonable in respect of the present employment doe cause it to stoope vnto earthly vanities and so leauing the substance to catch a shadowe But the spirituall part finding it selfe thus defeated of those spirituall excellencies which so earnestly it persueth doeth not rest thus deiected and depressed but shaking of the thoughts of sinnefull vanities and sensuall delights and bathing it selfe in the precious blood of Christ by a liuely faith it is washed from the filth of earthly corruption and as it were picking and pruning it ruffled feathers when the Sunne-beames of Gods louing countenance shine vpon it it leaueth the earth and vp againe it mouneeth in spirituall and heauenly thoughts and remembring that we are but Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1. 2. Pilgrimes on earth and that heauen is our countrey it causeth vs by diuine meditations to haue our conuersation there whilest our bodies are on earth and knowing that we are risen with Christ it maketh vs to seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and to set our affections on things aboue and not on things which are one the earth § Sect. 9. The conflict betweene spirituall and carnall memory And this is the conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in our minds and vnderstanding To this we may adde the combats that are betweene them in our memories for these being but in part regenerate and the reliques of corruption remaining in them there is a great conflict whilest the memory so farre forth as it is spirituall laboureth to blot out and deface all worldly wicked and sinnefull impressions and to haue imprinted in it those heauenly and spirituall documents and instructions which haue beene entrusted vnto it by the sanctified vnderstanding and whilest it endeauoureth to cast out the rubbish and noisome filth of prophannesse ribaldry scurtilous jestes maliciousnesse and all maner of impietie and wickednesse that so it may be a fit sure and faithfull treasury of wise sayings and Religious discourses And contrariwise whilest on the other side the flesh and vnregenerate part standeth in direct opposition to the spirit by reprinting and repeating those lessons of impietie and prophannesse which before our conuersion especially and since also wee had learned in the schoole of the diuell and the world and by working in vs obliuion and forgetfulnesse of all good things whereby these heauenly treasures and spirituall iewels are as it were presently cast out of dores as soone as they are receiued these holy lessons are no sooner written but they are presently blotted out and cancelled and these waters of life doe no longer stay with vs then common water continueth in a leaking vessell or in a siue § Sect. 10. Of the conflict betweene the flesh and spirit in the conscience Finally there is also the like conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit in the conscience whereby I vnderstand not the fight betweene it and the will affections and carnall appetite which may be in those who are vnsanctified and meerly naturall of which I shall speake more in the following discourse but that conflict which is in the same facultie as it is partly regenerate and renewed by the sanctifying grace of the spirit and partly vnregenerate the reliques of sinnefull corruption remaining in
against the flesh And I surely was in both but yet more I in that which I approued in my selfe then in that which I disallowed For in this rather I was not I because for the most part I did suffer that vnwillingly which I did Confess Lib. 8. Cap. 10. willing And a litle after Doe not diuers wils distract the heart of man when hee deliberateth what to preferre in his choyse And all appeare good and striue with themselues till at length one thing be choosen vnto which all the will is caried together which before was deuided in sunder And so when eternitie delighteth aboue and the pleasure of temporall good detaineth below the same soule doeth not with the whole will will this or that and therefore it is distracted with much griefe whilest it preferreth that in true iudgement and yet cannot part with this through long acquaintance § Sect. 2. Of the conflict betweene faith and infidelitie prâ—sumption And thus we haue seene the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit in the vnderstanding and will seuerally now let vs come to that conflict which â—s in them being ioyntly considered betweene faith and the contrary extreames infidelitie and vaine presumption The which I referre to both these faculties because as I take it the first beginnings and least degrees of faith are chiefely in the will and heart euen as the perfection and highest degrees of it are in the minde and vnderstanding For after a man by humiliation and contrition is fitted and prepared to receiue faith and after that the lawe hath brought him to a true sight sense â—f his sins of the punishmeÌ„ts which by them he hath deserued and that by himselfe his estate is despeperate and remedilesse being vtterly vnable to come out of this miserable and forlorne condition and that the Gospell hath generally shewed that Iesus Christ sent into the world by his father to this ende is an al-sufficient Sauiour who by his blood purgeth vs from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes and by his righteousnesse and obedience iustifieth sinners then the spirit of God assisting the ministery of the word worketh thereby in his heart some earnest desires to be made partaker of Christ these benefits which we call hungring thirsting after his righteousnesse and this I affirme to be the first degree of iustifying faith and not onely a preparation vnto it because they are pronounced blessed who thus hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse and there is no blessednesse to those who liue in the state of infidelitie Then there Mat. 5. 6. is wrought in his will a firme resolution to chuse Christ alone for his Sauiour and to rest and relye vpon him onely for his saluation which is the second degree of true faith vnto which when the Christian hath attained by the liuely sense experimentiall feeling of Gods loue in his holy ordinances of the vertue and power of Christs death and resurrection for the mortifying of his sinnes and the renewing and quickening of him in all sauing graces and finally by his daily walking with God in the workes of holinesse and righteousnesse and that sweete communion which he hath with him in spirituall exercises he groweth from one degree of faith to another till at last there bee wrought in the minde not onely a certaine but also a full perswasion of Gods loue the remission of his sinnes and his owne saluation But yet the flesh and reliques of corruption remaining in vs when wee haue attained vnto the greatest perfection which this life yeeldeth as in the part regenerate there is full and certaine perswasion so in the vnregenerate part dwelleth doubting infidelitie vaine presumption which continually assault one another and sometimes the one sometimes the other preuaileth and getteth the better in the particular skirmish although in the conclusion ende of the fight faith alwayes ouercommeth and a obtaineth a full and finall victory In the meane time euen after that by faith wee haue laide hold on the promises and haue growne to a great measure of strength and to an high degree of perswasion doubting and infidelitie taking the opportunitie of some grieuous temptation doe giue vnto our faith many wounds and foyles of which notwithstanding it recouereth vpon the renewing of our couenant with God receiuing the Sacrament which is the seale of it the applying afresh of Gods gracious promises the remembrance of his former mercies and the renewing of our repentance especially for our latter slippes and fall And this Heb. 11. 11. Rom. 4. 19. we see in the example of Sara and Abraham who after that by faith they had receiued Gods promise were so farre foyled with doubting that they could thinke of no meanes of bringing it to passe but by sustituting Hagar in her place Of Peter who beleeuing in his Lord and Maister so rested vpon his word and power that hee walked towards him on the waters but sunke into the water after hee had first sunke through doubting and vnbelife when hee sawe Mat. 14 30. a boysterous blast of winde threatning a storme and therefore was reproued for his doubting So the father of the possessed childe cryeth out I beleeue Lord helpe thou mine vnbeliefe But most notably doeth this appeare in the example Iob 3. 1. 3. 7 20. 6. 4. of those great worthies Iob and Dauid for for the former wee shall see him sometime complaining as a man Iod. 13. 15. 19 25. vtterly desperate cursing the day of his natiuitie and challenging God as his enemy and at another time professing Psal 42. 6. 73 13. 77. 10. 23 4. 31. 23. 46. 2. his faith and assurance of saluation and resoluing that though God should kill him yet he would still trust in him And for the other wee shall see him in the booke of the Psalmes one while as it were a man vtterly reiected of God and forsaken and soone after as it were riding in triumph after victory and euen glorying in the strength of his faith and confidence in God Whereby it appeareth that there is in euery man regenerate a notable conflict between faith and vnbeliefe whereof it commeth to passe that Gods dearest children may oftentimes not onely be foyled with diffidence and doubting but also in some grieuous temptations may fall into some despaire of Gods mercie and loue towards them the which notwithstanding differeth from that despaire which is in the wicked and reprobate in that theirs is totall and finall whereas the faithfull lye in it onely for a time whilest the violence of the temptation pressed vpon them by the diuel and the flesh last and is not totall seeing their faith euen in the greatest brunt fighteth and striueth against it and in the ende getteth the vpper hand Contrariwise our faith is sometime assaulted with presumption whereby the flesh moueth vs falsely to apply the promises and to presume of Gods
man regenerate with more care and diligence to obserue his owne heart and more conscionably to watch ouer all his wayes that hee giue no aduantage to his sinfull flesh It causeth him studiously to affect and earnestly to endeauour in the vse of all good meanes whereby the spirituall part may be more and more strengthened and the flesh with all carnall lustes may be mortified and subdued that so it may not rebell and gather strength to preuaile against it as wee see in the example of the Apostle But the conflict of conscience 1 Cor. 9. 27 is commonly ioyned with secure retchlesnesse whereby the vnregenerate man doeth car lesly neglct the causes and occasions of this bitter conflict vntill he be ouertaken with them and onely auoideth the punishment and not the sinne which causeth it oâ— the sinne onely when hee is sensible of the punishment it worketh in him no care to mortifie his sinnes vnlesse it bee onely in outward fact and that alone for seruile feare of paine and smart and not in loue and obedience vnto God yea still he loueth them as his dearest darlings and when he dare not giue them place and entertainment in his workes and actions as it were in his outward roomes he secretly lodgeth them in his heart as in his secrete closet or priuate chamber It doeth not make him vse any meanes to subdue his flesh and mortifie his corruptions yea rather it bringeth him into a sluggish despaire which maketh him to cry out that there is a Lyon in the streete to starue his soule because hee will not take paines to plucke his hand out of his bosome and put it to his mouth to stop his eares against all good counsel and to harden his heart against all instruction 〈…〉 exhortation whereby he is taught the way wh 〈…〉 may come out of his misery or is incited and stirred vp to walke in it complaining that all these meanes are vnto him vselesse and bootelesse seeing he is already irrecouerably plunged into a desperate condition Or else if he vse at all the meanes of his recouery it is onely inhypocrisie not with a desire to profite by them but onely to stop the cry of conscience vpon this perswasion that God will bee contented with this formall seruice notwithstanding that he still goeth on in his wicked courses § Sect. 8. The first difference is in the subiect matter or occasion The fift difference is the subiect matter or occasion about which these conflicts are made by these diuers enemies For the Flesh and the Spirit doe in all things oppose against one another the spirit the flesh in all that is euill the flesh the spirit in all that is good For there is no good action which the spirituall man performeth but the flesh interposing hindreth and interrupteth him as in prayer hearing the word receiuing the sacrament sanctification of the Sabbath the workes of iustice and mercie temperance and sobrietie sometime wholly withdrawing him from them and sometime distracting and disabling him in them which maketh him to complaine with the Apostle To will is present with me but I finde not how to performe that which is good For I finde a law that when I would doe good euill is present Rom. 7. 18 21. with me the which is to be vnderstood not only of particular actions but also of our whole life and conuersatition And contrariwise there is no euill knowne to the spirit and done by the flesh wherein the spirit doth not crosse and oppose it no not those sinnes which by carnall men are thought sleight and veniall either hindering and restraining the regenerate man that hee may not fall into it or mouing him being fallen to rise againe by vnfained repentance But the conflict of conscience extendeth not to the whole course of life but onely to some particular actions and yeelding vnto the will and affections in lesser common and ordinarie sinnes it onely con 〈…〉 h with them about the committing of such sinnes as 〈…〉 â—nd outragious and especially those which are against the second Table not so much regarding or restraining them in those which are committed against the first § Sect. 9 The last differeÌ„ce is in respect of time The last difference betweene these diuers conflicts is in respect of time for the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit beginneth at the time of our regeneration conuersion and not before and being begunne it is constant and continuall to the very end of our liues though it may haue some intermissions in respect of our sense and feeling as when the spirit through the thicke vapour of corruption raised by the flesh is cast into a slumber or by some mighty blowe wounding the conscience astonishing the senses and hardening the heart is as it were cast into a sowne and hath no signes of spirituall life remaining in it out of which it alwayes recouereth being excited and reenlyued by Gods quickening spirit But the combate of conscience doth begin oftentimes long before conuersion euen as soone as we haue the vse of reason and vnderstanding receiuing common notions from the light of nature but it is neither constant and continuall but onely by panges and fits vpon the occasion of some grieuous sinne already acted or about to be committed nor yet alwayes permanent and lasting to the end of life seeing oftentimes by customable sinning the conscience becommeth so deadded and seared that it taketh no notice of sin nor opposeth against the will and affections but as it were casteth the reines in their necke neuer at all checking or curbing them in but suffering them to runne on in an headlong course vnto the committing of all manner of wickednesse CHAP. IX That the Conflict of Conscience is not in all that are vnregenerate nor in them onely § Sect. 1 That no comfort arisetth out of the conflict of conscience AND thus we haue shewed the many differences betweene the combate of the flesh and spirit and of the conscience and affections Whereby it is plaine that as the former giueth vnto vs comfortable assurance of our regeneration adoption and saluation so there can no such hope arise from the other For as we see it may be and most commonly is in the wicked and reprobate it hath no reference to God nor springeth from faith loue filiall feare and obedience but from carnall selfe-loue and seruile feare of iudgement and punishment not from any dislike of sinne the which the wicked in the hottest of this conflict doe loue with all their heart but onely because they desire to auoide the punishment like vnto children whose teeth water when they seâ— lâ—â—â—rous meates but yet dare not touch them for feare of the rod. An example whereof we haue in Balaam who with all is heart would haue sinned in cursing Gods people that hee might haue gained the reward of vnrighteousnesse but yet durst not doe it for Balaacs kingdome because he was affraid to
will hearken vnto them who can speake eloquently but that hee will satisfie the desires of them that feare him heare their cry and Psal 145. 18. 19 saue them and that hee will be nigh vnto them that call vpon Exod. 4. 10. 16. him in trueth Of which wee haue an example in Moses who though he were not cloquent but so slowe of speach that he needed to haue Aaron to be his spokesman and in stead of a mouth vnto him for the deliuery of his ambassage to Pharaoh and the people yet God gaue audience vnto his slowe and vnready suites rather then vnto Aaron who exceeded him in cloquence in so much that when Moses must pray in the behalfe of the people Aarons office was to stay vp his hands that hee might more fitly continue and perseuere in this holy exercise Againe to conceiue a prayer vpon euery occasion and to vtter it in a continued and eloquent phrase of speech is no assured signe that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs because it is neither proper to the faithfull nor commune to them all For an hypocrite may attaine vnto this abilitie yea euen excell in it by vertue of his naturall endowments memory eloquence and liberty of speech boldnesse and such like especially when as he hath had vertuous education and hath beene instructed in the doctrine of godlinesse and also trained vp in these Religious duties not onely by precepts but by the examples of the godly which he is able to imitate by helpe of these naturall endowments in the exercise of prayer as well as in the function of Preaching and ministery of the word And so likewise it is not commune to all the faithfull to haue this ability for there are many who haue a great measure of grace sight of sinne and sense of wants seruent desires strong faith who are so disabled through naturall imperfections want of memory boldnes or slownesse or vnreadines of speach that they are not able to performe this duty especially whē they are in the presence of others And this I write not to detract any thing from the excellency of their guifts who are able vpon all occasions to expresse the desires and prayers of their heart in good wordes and conuenient discourse of speach seeing this is a guift of God which not onely stirreth vp our owne deuotion but is profitable also for the edification of others who can onely conceiue of holy desires as they are by vtterance made knowne of those that haue them but partly to giue vnto the prayer of the heart and soule a superiour excellency farre aboue the prayer of the lippes euen then also when it is without it partly that none should please themselues in it though they could rauish others with the admiration of their gifts if they be not as earnest deuoute and feruent in the desires of their hearts as they are able and eloquent in the prayers of their mouthes for of these in their greatest excellency it may be truely saide that they are in Gods estimate but meere lip-labour which will for reward drawe vpon vs that iust censure this people draweth neare vnto me with their lips when their hearts are farre from Esa 29. 13 me And partly yea especially for the comfort of all those who hauing holy desires through want of naturall parts haue no ability to vtter them seeing if such can but make their suites knowne vnto God by their sighes and grones it is an euidence vnto them that the spirit dwelleth in them who enableth them thus to pray and whose suites and supplications are sure to be heard and granted But yet we are not truely capable of this comfort if we doe not labour 1 Cor. 14. 1. after perfection striue to attaine vnto the best gifts much lesse if wee are disabled for the performance of these holy duties not through want of naturall guifts but of spirituall grace and through sloth and negligence which hindreth vs from imploying and vsing them Of which this is an euident signe when as wee haue libertie of speach and plenty of wordes to discourse readily and freely vpon all occasions of worldly and earthly things but are then onely tongue tied when we should speake vnto God and can finde no fit wordes to expresse our mindes in any sensible manner when as by prayer wee should make our suites knowne vnto him CHAP. XII How wee may knowe that Gods spirit dwelleth in vs by our sanctification and the qualities and gifts of holinesse infused into vs. § Sect. 1. The fift effect of the spirit is the worke of sanctification A Fift effect of the spirit whereby hee may bee knowne to dwell in vs is the worke of sanctification and the qualities of holinesse infused into vs which is so proper and peculiar to the spirit that none besides him can effect it For as impossible it is for any man to giue vnto himselfe this spirituall renewing as it was at first to be the cause of his owne being as vnable are wee to bee the causes of our regeneration as wee were to bee of our generation and therefore as the creature euidently proueth that it had a creatour and the childe that it had a father so alike certainly may we be assured by our renewing and regeneration that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs who hath beene the sole authour of this worke And thus our Sauiour ascribeth it to his holy spirit where he saith that vnlesse wee bee borne of water and the spirit wee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 11 Rom. 1. 4. So the Apostle hauing tolde the Corinthians that they had beene notorious sinners saith that they were washed and sanctified by the spirit of our God And hereof it is that he is called not onely the holy spirit but the spirit of holinesse the spirit of sanctification or the sanctifying spirit not onely because he is infinitely holy himselfe but also doth sanctifie and make vs holy who were in our selues corrupt and sinnefull The which sanctification he worketh by begetting a liuely faith in vs which purifieth our hearts and so applyeth vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and resurrection whereby we are cleansed from our sinfull corruptions and quickened in the inner man to holinesse of life the which sanctification mortification and spirituall quickening alwayes beginneth at the heart minde will and affections and then afterwards sheweth it selfe in our outward actions And therefore whosoeuer finde this worke of sanctification thus begun in them they may bee assured that the spirit of God dwelleth in them § Sect. 2. Of the sixt effect of the spirit which is repentance and of the preparation there unto A sixt effect of the spirit dwelling in vs is like vnto the former namely vnfained repentance and amendment of life vnto which it maketh the same preparation that it doth for faith For first by the ministerie of the law the
spirit as our Sauiour speaketh conuinceth vs of sin shewing vnto vs both the hainousnesse of our sinnes together with their multitude and also the grieuous and endlesse punishments Ioh. 16. 8. which they haue deserued And this it doth commonly at the first in a more generall and confused maner amazing and astonishing vs with terrours and feares horrours of minde and panges of conscience when as wee see the huge masse or mountaine of our manifold and grieuous sinnes as it were in the whole lumpe and the wrath of God the curse of the Law the plagues and punishments of this life and the life to come which we haue by them deseruedly and in respect of our owne meanes ineuitably drawne vpon vs and afterwards more particularly and distinctly it setteth our sinnes in order before vs and especially presenteth to our viewe those sinnes which wee are most guiltie off and by which wee haue most dishonoured God and wounded our owne consciences By all which it worketh in vs that which we call penitence contrition and humiliation whereby we are cast downe vnder the heauie waight of our sinnes and lye grieuing and groning vnder them as it were vnder an intollerable burtheÌ„ finding no rest or comfort in our selues or in any worldly things besides And thus the spirit by the law as it were with an yron hammer battereth and bruiseth our hard and stony hearts in pieces that he may mixe with them beeing made contrite Ier. 4. 3. the oyle of his spirituall graces and vseth it like a plow to breake vp as it were these clunge stiffe and fallow grounds that being thus prepared he may sow in them these holy seedes For when hee hath thus cast vs downe and throughly humbled vs then he raiseth vs vp againe by reuealing vnto vs the mysterie of saluation the mercies of God and merits of Christ offered vnto all who will receiue them by saith And then as hath beene shewed it worketh in vs an hungring desire after Christ and his righteousnesse and a carefull earnest and constant endeauour in the vse of all good meanes as the hearing of the word prayer and the rest whereby wee may be made partakers of them The which by his inward and secret operation he so blesseth and sanctifieth vnto vs that they become effectuall to worke in vs a liuely faith whereby wee lay hold vpon Christ and his benefits and so are assured of the mercie of God and the remission and pardon of all our sinnes of Gods grace in this life and eternall glory in the life to come § Sect. 3 That faith is the cause and foundation of our repentance And thus being possessed by faith of all these inestimable benefits our hearts are rauished with the apprehension of the infinite loue of God and our Sauiour Christ and inflamed with vnsained loue towards them againe which faith thus working by loue doth cause a change and alteration which is called repentance beginning in the minde and heart and so proceeding to the outward parts and actions and worketh in vs a godly sorrow because by our sinnes we haue so much offended and displeased so gracious a God and good a father a true hatred of those sinnes and corruptions which wee haue either formerly committed or which yet adhere and cleaue vnto vs and a settled resolution and constant purpose to mortifie and subdue leaue and forsake them for the time to come and to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life All which wee doe not out of seruile feare but out of child-like loue and affection which maketh vs willing and desirous by our new obedience to please and glorifie our heauenly father not for feare of condemnation but because through the mercies of God and merits of Christ we are assured that we shall neuer be condemned Where by the way we may note a notable difference betweene that sorrow for sinne which the spirit worketh in the regenerate and that which is in carnall men For though these may sorrow and grieue after they haue sinned yet it is not for sinne it selfe the remembrance whereof is pleasant vnto them but for the punishments which they either presently feele or feare and expect in time to come where as the sorrow of Gods children is a floud or streame that springeth from faith and loue making vs to bewaile our sinnes because we haue offended and dishonoured so good a God who hath freed vs from the guilt and punishment of them by giuing his onely Sonne to death as the price of our redemption § Sect 4. That the spirit dwelling in vs purgeth vs from our naturall corruptions So that if the Spirit of God dwell in vs then hath it wrought in vs this worke of repentance in all the parts thereof and hath made in vs an happy and blessed change from euill to good from sinne to holinesse and from corruption to grace For as in nature corruption goeth before generation the abolishing of the old forme before the bringing in of the new so before wee can bee spiritually renewed the old man must bee killed and crucified and then the new man will bee quickned and reuiued sinne and corruption is purged away and then holinesse and righteousnesse is wrought in vs. First then in effecting this worke of repentance the Spirit of God dwelling in vs purgeth and purifyeth vs from all our sinfull corruptions in all the parts of our soules and bodies by applying vnto vs the efficacie and power of Christ Iesus his death which mortifith and crucifieth them in vs so as they doe no longer raigne in our mortall bodies as in time past As for example it causeth the scales of ignorance to fall from the eyes of our minde it freeth in some measure our iudgements from errour our imaginations from vanitie our consciences from dead workes our hearts from hardnesse our wils from peruersenesse and rebellion our affections from corruption and disorder and all the members of our bodies from the seruitude of sinne All which are the proper and peculiar workes of the spirit and the fruits of our regeneration and nâ—w birth according to that of the Apostle Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is 1 Ioh. 3. 9. borne of God § Sect 6. That the spirit is knowne to be in vs by his quickning of vs in the inner man Yea but in the regenerate also there may seeme to bee some mortification some mourning for sinne some leauing and forsaking of it As we see in Herod who heard Iohn the Baptist gladly and did many things according to his instructions In Simon Magus who for a time left his forcerie beleeued and was baptized In Ahab who humbled himselfe before God wearing sackcloth and going mournfully In Iudas Demas Ananias and Sapphira with many such like and how then may we discerne the one from the other I answere that though there be some seeming
as we say the burnt childe will euer after dread the fire Hee that hath beene bitten with suert ship and hath had his goods attached and his person arrested and laide vp in prison will if hee haue any wit afterwards take heede how hee striketh the hand and becommeth suretie for a stranger He that hath beene notably cousened to his great losse and hindrance wil keepe a vigilant eye vpon the cousener from the time to come that he be not againe deceiued especially by the same wiles and hee that hath gotten fore falles by going in slippery places will afterwards looke better to his footing when hee is to come backe in the same way And therefore let grace teach vs the same vigilancy and wise prouidence in spirituall things and cause vs to double our care in withstanding those sinnes wherewith we haue beene most often surprized and bend our whole strength and endeauour for the subduing and mortifying those carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts which are most strong and raging in vs. § Sect. 9 The 7 rule is that we set no stint to our mortification The last rule is that we set vnto our selues no stint in mortifying and subduing our fleshly lusts but that wee labour from one degree to attaine vnto another vntill we attaine vnto perfection Wee must not deale with these spirituall enemies as Ioash with the Aramites contenting our selues with two or three victories ouer them for then they will againe gather head and renewing their forces afresh assault vs but we must continually make warre against them vntill wee haue giuen them a finall ouerthrow Wee must not deale with them as the Israelites with the cursed nations suffring them quietly to dwell with vs on condition that they will contribute something to our pleasure or profit but wee must make warre against them according to Gods Commaundement and neuer make any peace or truce vntill we haue vtterly rooted them out or at the best let vs deale with them as Ioshuah with the Gibeonits if they must needes dwell with vs let vs hold them vnder as our slaues and make them to become droyles and drudges ready to yeelde obedience to euery spirituall motion Let vs not deale with our carnall lustes as Ahab and Saul with Benhadad and Agag get the victory ouer them and suffer them to liue least in Gods iust iudgment our life be exchanged for theirs and they kill vs because we killed not them Neither let vs with Saul destroy the lowest of the people and the vilest of these carnall cattell reseruing aliue the chiefe of our corruptions and the fattest of our fleshly lustes whereby wee haue most gaine and aduantage most pleasure and delight Let vs not be like vnto Herod who refrained from many sinnes but would not leaue his incestuous darling or like vnto Iudas and Demas who hauing outwardly reformed themselues of many sinnes did still nourish their couetousnesse and loue of the world For if when wee cast out Sathan and the flesh wee suffer any of their spawne or sinfull corruptions to remaine in vs they will be pledges and pawnes vnto vs of their returning and when they come backe and bring many other wicked spirits Mat 12. 44. 45. and sinfull corruptions with them these retained and nourished sinnefull lustes will like secret traitours open the doore of our hearts and let them in and then taking more strong possession of vs our latter end wil be worse then our beginning § Sect 10. Our mortification must extend it selfe to all sinfull corruptions and to all times But our mortification must be without stint or restraint extending it selfe in respect of the obiect vnto all our lustes and not vnto some onely in respect of the time also it must be continuall euen to the very ende of our liues because as with Sampson our enemies will liue with vs euen vnto our death and then with it we shall destroy more of them then we haue done in the whole course of our liues yea in trueth then and not before wee shall destroy them all so as for euer after they shall neuer bee able to assault vs or disturbe our peace and therefore in the meane time wee must neuer thinke that wee haue long enough fought against our fleshly lustes and that now wee may make a truce and take our ease but wee must continue fighting till we haue by death gotten a full and finall victory and then ouercomming and continuing faithfull vnto death wee shall receiue the crowne of life Finally in respect of the degree wee must not content our selues to haue ouercome and Apoc. 2. 10. mortified all our sinfull lustes in some small measure but we must labour and striue after perfection driuing our enemies not onely out of the hart of our Citie but out of our suburbs also and the vtmost borders and confines of our countrey Wee must not suffer it to haue any footing either in the secrete corners of our hearts by entertaining fleshly lustes or in our tongues by vttring vaine prophane and filthy speaches or in our handes by acting wicked vniust and dishonest workes but as the Apostle exhorteth vs we must cleanse our selues from all filthines of the 2 Cor. 7. 1 flesh spirit and perfectour holines in the feare of God if we would approue our selues to be Gods children we must Mat. 5. 48. striue after perfection as our heauenly father is perfect because we cannot effect this great worke of our selues wee must desire with the Apostle that the God of peace wil sanctifie vs throughout and that our whole spirit and soule and body 1 Thes 5. 23. may be preserued blameles vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Yea we are to desire our Sauiour himselfe who hath giuen himselfe for vs That he will sanctifie and cleanse vs with the washing of water by the word that hee may present vs vnto himselfe a glorious people not hauing spot or wrinkle or any Eph. 5. 25. such thing but that wee may bee holy and without blemish In the meane time we must with Gods worke ioyne our own earnest desires and hartie endeauours to abound more and more and to increase in the measure of our mortification getting daily new victories ouer all our sinfull lusts For he that thinketh in this kind that he hath done enough hath as yet one nothing at all as he ought to doe hee that is come to his stint and meaneth there to take vp his standing is ready to turne backe and to relapse into all his former wickednesse and hee that continueth not still fighting is neare vnto foyling and being ouercome to bee made a slaue to his sinfull lusts True grace is growing grace and that which groweth not is false and counterfait and they who euer made any progresse in the wayes of godlinesse with vpright hearts and good consciences they will neuer cease trauelling till they come to their iourneyes end neither is it
Iudas who is still plotting the fittest meanes whereby he may betray vs into the power of our enemies to haue alwaies with vs such a flattering false Ioab who when hee performeth all complements of kindnesse doth but watch his opportunitie to stab and kill vs to be besieged with mighty enemies and to haue within the walles of our citie secret traitors who are still ready to open the gates to let them in and beeing entred to ioyne with them that so together they may worke our ouerthrow §. Sect. 13. How wee may dâ—eaet the maltiâ—â—s treasons of the flesh But it is not inough to know our danger vnlesse we also bee acquainted with the meanes how wee may preuent it And therefore let vs inquire how we may auoide these pernitious treasons and escape the perill of these secret ambushments And first taking notice that the flesh whilest it professeth friendship and offereth vnto vs much profit and many delights is our mortall enemy and a slye traytor which taketh part with the chief enemies of our saluation we must hearken to the Prophets counsell in another case Trust yee not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide keepe the dores of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosome and alwayes Mica 7. â— haue it in iealousie then most suspecting it when as it offereth to satisfie our desires And vvhen it commendeth vnto vs the vanities of the world promising that in the fruition of them vve shall haue great contentment let vs beware of secret treacherie and againe and againe looke vnder these baites to see if there bee not hidden vnder them the hooke of sinne and curiously search if these booties are not purposely set out to make vs fall into Sathans ambushments that so he may ouercome vs and lead vs captiue to doe his will For who would giue any credit to such a false traytor as hath before his eyes brought so many to vtter ruine yea which we know by manifold experience hath many hundred times betrayed vs to the Diuell and the world when as it hath tendred vnto vs the fairest promises pretences SecoÌ„dly seeing we know it to be a traiterous enemy we must disarme weaken captiue hold it in subiection that so though it haue euer a malitious will to hurt vs yet being disabled it may not haue any power to rebell against vs. Thirdly we must keepe a narrow watch ouer it and ouer our selues that it doeth not take vs at any aduantage and often looke to our senses as it were the gates of our soules that they be not by our flesh and carnall corruption vnbarred and left open to entertaine the forces of our spirituall enemies And because our vigilance is not sufficient to preuent the plots and practises of this subtile traytor let vs often intreate by our most feruent prayers the keeper of Israel who neuer slumbreth nor sleepeth that hee will watch ouer vs and by his holy spirit discouer and deface these treacherous enemies CHAP. IX That the flesh is an enemy exceeding powerfull and mightie §. Sect. 1. That the flesh is to the vnregenerate a mighny king and to the regenerate a powerfull tyrant WE haue shewed that the flesh is a most malitious enemy so that it wanteth no will to bring vs to destruction And now it remaineth that we shew how mighty and powerfull it is in effecting that which it desireth and lusteth The which will appeare if we consider the mighty power and subtile pollicy of these malitious enemies Their power appeareth both in regard of their strength and number For the first if wee looke vpon the flesh in it full strength as it is Rom. 6. 12. in a man vnregenerate and is not subdued nor hath the vigour thereof abated by Gods spirit wee shall finde that it raigneth as a mightie monarch in the little world of man holding euery facultie power and part both of soule and body in subiection The which the Apostle plainely intimateth where he exhorteth those whom Christ by his spirit hath regenerated and freed from this regiment not to let sinne raigne in their mortall bodies that they should obey it in the lustes thereof Yea it raigneth not onely as a King and absolute soueraigne but as a Lord or tyrant who hauing conquered mankinde doth hold them in subiection as miserable captiues and bondslaues selling them ouer to the committing of all actuall transgressions for the base price of earthly vanities The which the Apostle intimateth in these words but I am carnall sold vnder sinne Whereby Rom. 7. 14. he signifieth that the flesh dealt with him like a proude and cruell tyrant seasing vpon him like one who had bought a slaue in the market and forcibly compelling him to doe his will The which if the Apostle might truely speake of himselfe though he were regenerate in respect of that part which remained vnsanctified then how much more may it be verified of those who remaine in the state of corruption and vnregenerate who are wholly vnder the dominion of sinne Now if we would see with what power and vnresistable force this cruell tyrant did rule in all the sonnes of men whilest they remained in the state of corruption hereby it will appeare in that they were so vtterly vnable to free themselues out of this thraldome that they neuer durst nor could attempt their libertie because their wils were no lesse captiuated then their other parts and faculties and it was their chiefe delight to liue in this slauery Neither were any outward helps auaileable because being possessed and ruled by this legion of wicked lusts like the Doemoniake in the Gospell nothing would containe them nor restraine their fury but they break easily all those chaines giues and Mar. 5. 2. fetters wherwith they vvere bound being like mad men a like harmefull both to themselues and others For neither would Gods loue and many benefits allure them and containe them in obedience nor his vvrath and fearfull iudgements terrifiee and restraine them from sinne Neither the law of God containing so many gracious promises to them who obeyed it and so many terrible threatnings against them that transgressed it both of temporary plagues and euerlasting punishments nor the execution of these dreadfull iudgements in the punishment of the whole world by a vniuersal deluge of Sodom Gomorrah with fire and brimstone with many other cities countries which haue beene made examples of Gods wrath against sinne besides the experience of innumerable particular persons and euen of themselues visited by the hand of God in a fearefull manner were all sufficient and strong inough to curbe and keepe vnder these sinfull passions and corrupt lusts nor to subdue and thrust out of his regency this powerfull tyrant the flesh till Christ Iesus himselfe came who is the wisdome and power of his father conquered him on his crosse triumphing gloriously ouer him together with the rest of our spirituall enemies
and vntill he apply the vertue of this victory vnto vs and by his powerful spirit which is infinitely stronger then all men and Angels doe vanquish this mighty tyrant giue him a deadly wound of which he continually languisheth and deposing him from his regency doe set vp in our hearts the gracious and glorious kingdome of our blessed Sauiour So that we may conclude this In Iohan. lib. 3. cap. 34. point with the saying of Cyrill The voluptuous lustes of the flesh without doubt are of mightie power by which the mindes of men are wholly diuerted from all honestie and goodnesse § Sect. 2 Of the strength of the flesh being considered in it selfe But least those who are regenerate should contemne this enemy as being weake and impotent because it is in part mortified the strength thereof abated by vertue of Gods spirit dwelling in them let vs in the next place know that though it bee not in them so puissant and powerfull as in those who remaine in their naturall corruption yet it is exceeding strong and mighty whether wee consider it simply in it selfe as it worketh and rebelleth in those who are sanctified or compare it with the spirituall and regenerate part The former is notably set downe by the Apostle in his owne person in the seauenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes where he sheweth that this corrupt and sinfull flesh is so farre off from any conformity to the lawe that taking occasion by the commaundement it wrought in him all maner of concupiscence and so abused the lawe which was purposely giuen to restraine him from sinne and to subdue and mortifie his corruptions as a meanes to giue strength life and vigour vnto it Whereby the lawe which was ordained to life became to be vnto death Further shewing vers 8. the power of his fleshly corruption he saith that it tooke occasion by the commaundement to deceiue and slay him working vers 9. death vnto him by that which is good that it ouercame him vers 10. and like a slaue sold him vnder sinne that it made him to doe that which he allowed not to omit the good which he affected and vers 11. commit the euill which he hated that though he were delighted vers 12. in the lawe of God and desired to obey it yet euill was present with bim That though he constantly resolued to serue vers 13. God yet the flesh like a strong rebell making warre against vers 14. him did often foyle and ouercome him and carried him into captiuitie to the lawe of sinne Yea of such force and might did this holy Apostle find the flesh in him that it forced him to crye out wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death So else where he telleth vs that Gal. 5. 17. the flesh is not so subdued but that it continually maketh warre against the part regenerate and standeth in such strong opposition against it that the godly cannot doe the good they would With whom the Apostle Peter agreeing telleth 1 Pet. 2. 11. vs that the fleshly lustes doe fight against our soules Finally as it hindreth vs often times from yeelding any obedience to the law and enforceth vs to transgresse it so when we doe performe any duties which it requireth it so defileth and staineth them that we haue iust cause to acknowledge with the Prophet that our best righteousnesse is but like a polluted Esa 64. 6. cloath Now this strength of the flesh vnlesse it be wounded subdued and kept vnder by Gods spirit is alwayes in it full vigour yea in daily growth notwithstanding all naturall meanes which can be vsed For the decay of nature it selfe doeth not make it decay but euen in sicknesse it retaineth health and vigour and when through olde age the body is weake and decrepite it continueth firme and strong § Sect 3. That the flesh it mightie being considered comparatiuely with the spirit So also if wee compare it with the spirituall part the flesh is much greater and stronger and therefore would easily ouercome it and quench al Gods graces in vs if God should leaue vs to our selues to be supported and defended by the strength which we haue receiued and not continually send vs new supplies and vphold vs with the power of his owne spirit For the Apostle telleth vs that in this life we haue receiued but first fruits of the spirit which is but an handfull Rom. 8. 23. in comparison of the haruest the whole croppe of grace being reserued till we shall receiue with it the fullnes of glory And in regard that the flesh in quantiiy did so much exceede the spirit he sticketh not to say that the Corinthyans though sanctified in Christ Iesus and called to be saints were carnall and but babes in Christ yea hauing himselfe 1 Cor. 1. 2. chap. 1. 2. receiued such a great measure of grace he notwithstanding in the sight and sence of his great corruption acknowlegeth Rom. 7. 14. that he was carnall and sould vnder sinne Hereof it is that Diuines compare the flesh to the great gyant Goliah and the spirit to little Dauid and not vnfitly for as Dauid was farre vnequall to the mightie Gyant and therefore preuayled not against him by his owne strength but by the power of God assisting him in whose name he came against him so by the same meanes only the spirit getteth victorie ouer the flesh God giuing it strength to ouercome because it fighteth his owne battayles §. Sect. 4. Of the multitude of â—â— fleshly lust Finally vnto the strength of our enemie we may adde their multitude for though they be one in name to note that they are all of the like sinfull nature and as one combined in malice to worke our destruction so are they many in number euen whole legions of vnlawfull lusts which continually multiply themselues by begetting a new offspring after the ould are killed and subdued Wherof it is that the apostle Peter willeth vs to abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule speaking plurally of them as being many euen a whole army which maketh warre against vs. § Sect. 5. That the power of our enemies 〈…〉 vs tâ— shake of all securitie The consideration wherof should moue vs to shake of all securitie arising from contempt of our enemies and seeing they are so mightie in strength and many in number let vs vse so much the more care dilligence and vigilance to defend our selues against their furie buckling vnto our selues the whole armour of God and vsing all meanes both for the vveakning of our enemies and the nourishing and strengthening of Gods graces in vs. Especially let vs call vpon God the Lord of boasts desiring him by our feruent prayers that he vvill by his spirit abate the power of the flesh the sinfull lusts thereof and re inforce and strengthen the armie of